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Saudi Crown Prince Awards the Esports World Cup Champions

The Crown Prince crowns the Saudi club "Team Falcons" as champions of the Esports World Cup 2024 - SPA
The Crown Prince crowns the Saudi club "Team Falcons" as champions of the Esports World Cup 2024 - SPA
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Saudi Crown Prince Awards the Esports World Cup Champions

The Crown Prince crowns the Saudi club "Team Falcons" as champions of the Esports World Cup 2024 - SPA
The Crown Prince crowns the Saudi club "Team Falcons" as champions of the Esports World Cup 2024 - SPA

Under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the inaugural Esports World Cup successfully concluded on Sunday in Riyadh, SPA reported.
Over the past 8 weeks, clubs and players from across the globe came together in Riyadh to compete in the first-ever Esports World Cup. With a total prize pool of over $60 million, the event attracted around 500 teams and 1,500 professional players, marking it as the largest event in Esports history.
The Crown Prince crowned the Saudi club "Team Falcons" as champions of the Esports World Cup 2024. The Falcons secured a total of $7 million in prize money, emerging as the top club in this historic competition.
Team Falcons led the rankings with 5,665 points earned across 12 tournaments, achieving first place in both the "Call of Duty: Warzone" and "Free Fire" championships. This victory showcases the Kingdom’s exceptional national talent in the esports sector.
This event, uniting the gaming and esports community, brought together players, fans, game developers, and publishers from around the world, marking a significant milestone for the esports industry.
With its unique multi-game and multi-genre format, the competition not only featured tournaments among the world’s top clubs, but also strengthened efforts by various entities within the Kingdom and globally to advance the esports landscape. It highlighted the positive impact of esports on communities, enhanced cultural exchange, and encouraged brands to recognize esports as a promising and vital investment opportunity.
The Esports World Cup set record-breaking milestones. It attracted over two million visitors, contributing to over 29% increase in visitors to Riyadh during the event period compared to the same timeframe the previous year. The event also featured more than 32 side entertainment and cultural activities. Across its eight-week run, the Esports World Cup recorded more than 500 million viewers, totaling more than 250 million hours watched—setting a new global record for this year.

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Sports

No Thoughts of Revenge as France Start World Cup Against Senegal, Says Deschamps

Didier Deschamps, Head Coach of France, attends the press conference of France one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match between France and Senegal at New York New Jersey Stadium on June 15, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Getty Images/AFP)
Didier Deschamps, Head Coach of France, attends the press conference of France one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match between France and Senegal at New York New Jersey Stadium on June 15, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Getty Images/AFP)
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No Thoughts of Revenge as France Start World Cup Against Senegal, Says Deschamps

Didier Deschamps, Head Coach of France, attends the press conference of France one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match between France and Senegal at New York New Jersey Stadium on June 15, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Getty Images/AFP)
Didier Deschamps, Head Coach of France, attends the press conference of France one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match between France and Senegal at New York New Jersey Stadium on June 15, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Getty Images/AFP)

France ‌coach Didier Deschamps said his side were not out for revenge in their World Cup opener against Senegal on Tuesday, 24 years after an opening loss to the African powerhouse preceded a calamitous group-stage exit and a bitter memory for their fans.

The holders in 2002, Les Bleus were stunned when they lost their opening match 1-0 to Senegal in Seoul. France never righted the campaign, with a 0-0 draw against Uruguay and a 2-0 defeat by Denmark in a final humiliation sealing an early exit.

"Listen, this was history but even (midfielder) N'Golo (Kante) ‌I'm not ‌sure he saw the game. Nearly most of ‌my ⁠players weren't born ⁠in 2002," Deschamps told reporters via a translator in East Rutherford on Monday, where the 2022 runners-up play Senegal in Group I at the New York New Jersey Stadium.

"I know that you like this word 'revenge' but there's no revenge in football."

The 2018 champions will be under the spotlight in swampy New Jersey, with prodigious striker Kylian Mbappe - ⁠a bona fide celebrity even in the soccer-ambivalent ‌United States - playing under scrutiny from ‌critics after he drew a blank in warm-up games against Ivory Coast and ‌Northern Ireland.

Playing Senegal for the first time since that 2002 ‌loss adds to the drama as France hunt a third straight trip to the final.

"(Senegal have) got excellent players who play in the best clubs," said Deschamps. "They've got an offensive capacity, their midfield is excellent. When you're ‌part of the best teams, you've got everything."

The 35-year-old Kante, a key piece of France's triumphant 2018 ⁠campaign who ⁠is back in the mix after missing 2022 with an injury, said he expected a tough fight with Senegal's midfield.

The Fenerbahce player added that beating Senegal was important to set the right tone for the tournament, not for revenge.

"We want to be part of this squad and to have everyone on board, everybody counts, everybody is important," he told reporters.

"I do believe that it's important to have trust in our team. We need to go as far as possible in the competition ... Of course, our main opponent is ourselves. We need to stay together, concentrated."

France play Senegal on Tuesday before facing Iraq and Norway.

Sports

Tunisia Fires Coach Sabri Lamouchi After World Cup Loss

Tunisia head coach Sabri Lamouchi watches during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP)
Tunisia head coach Sabri Lamouchi watches during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP)
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Tunisia Fires Coach Sabri Lamouchi After World Cup Loss

Tunisia head coach Sabri Lamouchi watches during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP)
Tunisia head coach Sabri Lamouchi watches during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP)

Tunisia fired head ‌coach Sabri Lamouchi on Monday after a lopsided loss in their first World Cup game.

The Tunisian Football Federation announced his dismissal on its Instagram account.

"An agreement has ‌been officially ‌reached to dismiss ‌coach ⁠Sabri Lamouchi," the statement ⁠read.

"Plans are underway to appoint Mondher Kebaier as the national team coach (on an interim basis) to complete the World Cup qualifying matches."

Sweden ⁠routed Tunisia 5-1 ‌in Sunday ‌night's Group F opener in ‌Guadalupe, Mexico.

Tunisia are scheduled to ‌face Japan in the same stadium on Saturday night before finishing group play on June 25 ‌against the Netherlands in Kansas City.

Lamouchi, 54, was ⁠hired ⁠in January and was already under fire following a 5-0 loss to Belgium in a pre-tournament friendly on June 6 in Brussels.

The Frenchman previously managed the Ivory Coast squad at the 2014 FIFA World Cup but failed to advance beyond the group stage in Brazil.

Sports

Former Captain Says 2026 World Cup Continues Saudi Arabia’s Historic Journey

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Former Captain Says 2026 World Cup Continues Saudi Arabia’s Historic Journey

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

Former Saudi national team captain Majed Abdullah said the Saudi team's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues a journey that began with their debut in 1994 in the United States, stressing the enduring support of Saudi fans throughout their international campaigns, SPA reported.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency, he said, “Thirty-two years after leading the Saudi national team in the 1994 World Cup, I feel proud to see a new generation carrying the nation’s flag in football’s biggest tournament.”

He recalled the team’s confident debut in 1994, highlighting courage and team spirit as key factors in their success, and called for continued fan support, expressing confidence that the current squad can continue to make history.